Michigan
19-6 (8-4)
Minnesota
14-11 (3-9)
Wolverines Fight Off Golden Gophers in Overtime Win
2/3/2018 6:42:00 PM | Men's Basketball
» Zavier Simpson (seven), Charles Matthews (three) and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (three) combined to score all 13 of Michigan's points in overtime, giving the Wolverines a 76-73 win and a 2-0 record in overtime games this season.
» Five Wolverines scored in double figures, highlighted by double-doubles from both Moritz Wagner (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Matthews (13 points, 11 rebounds).
» The Wolverines committed just six turnovers -- their 11th game of the season with single digits in the category.
» Michigan outrebounded Minnesota, 43-36, posting its second-most rebounds of the season and fifth game with 40-plus boards.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Score: #24 Michigan 76, Minnesota 73 (OT)
Records: U-M (19-6, 8-4 Big Ten), MINN (14-11, 3-9 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, Feb. 6 -- at Northwestern, 6 p.m. CT (TV: BTN)
• Watch: Beilein Postgame Press Conference | Postgame Report
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman's three-point play with four seconds remaining in overtime put the Wolverines ahead for good and capped the No. 24-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team's 76-73 come-from-behind win over Minnesota on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 3) inside Crisler Center.
For the second time this season, the Wolverines had two players record a double-double — juniors Moritz Wagner (16 points, 10 rebounds) and junior Charles Matthews (13 points, 11 rebounds). Three other Wolverines scored in double figures -- Abdur-Rahkman (17), sophomore Zavier Simpson (15) and senior Duncan Robinson (10). Simpson (seven) and Matthews (six) combined to score all 13 of U-M's points in overtime.
After trailing for the first 23 minutes of the game, the Wolverines clawed back, using a 6-0 run early in the second half to take their first lead of the contest, 38-37, with 16:15 remaining. The run began with a triple from Wagner, his third of the afternoon, followed by a slam dunk from Matthews to make it 37 at 16:58, getting the sold-out Crisler Center crowd on its feet. On the next possession, freshman Isaiah Livers rejected a Minnesota shot attempt before Wagner added a free throw to take the lead.
A 12-2 Golden Gopher run gave Minnesota a 50-40 advantage with 11:15 remaining in regulation. Layups from Robinson and Simpson made it 56-53, Gophers, at 5:18 and prompted a Minnesota timeout. Following the timeout, a Matthews jumper and two Minnesota turnovers ignited the Crisler Center crowd once again and brought the Wolverines within one, 56-55, at 4:34. U-M constructed an 8-2 run to hold a 63-58 lead with 25 seconds to go, but Minnesota used a jumper and three-pointer with five seconds remaining to tie things up and send the game into overtime.
There were two lead changes in the first two minutes of overtime before Simpson and Minnesota's Dupree McBrayer exchanged three-pointers to give Michigan a 70-69 lead with 2:30 remaining. Shortly after, Minnesota's leading scorer, Jordan Murphy, who averages a double-double, fouled out at the 2:07 mark with 12 points and six rebounds.
The Golden Gophers began the game on a roll and held U-M to just one bucket before the first media timeout, giving them an early 7-2 lead. The Wolverines used four triples over a six-minute span to cut Minnesota's lead to one, 22-21, at the 8:47 mark. The first two came from Livers and Abdur-Rahkman, with back-to-back treys from Wagner within 47-seconds capping the streak.
Minnesota called a timeout after Wagner's second triple and then the Gophers constructed a 5-0 run to increase their lead to six, 27-21, with 7:16 remaining in the half. The Wolverines used a pair of free throws from Matthews, a layup and key block from Livers to finish out the half trailing by just two, 34-32.
Overall, the Wolverines outrebounded the Golden Gophers, 43-36 -- their second-highest rebound total of the season and fifth 40-plus rebounding performance of the season. Michigan and Minnesota both shot 44.4 percent from the field, with the same amount of field-goal attempts and makes (28-for-63). The Wolverines, who are fifth in the nation in fewest turnovers per game, committed just six over 45 minutes of play -- their 11th of the season in single digits.
With the win, the Wolverines improved to 13-1 at home and 2-0 in overtime this season.
Tweet of the Game
THIS PLAY ???#GameWinner #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/1jHTtWL653
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) February 3, 2018
Michigan will travel to Northwestern for its second matchup with the Wildcats in eight days on Tuesday (Feb. 6). Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST and will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
